Document 3vnRMnZ9NQnja9gwdyabMXva
FILE NAME: Ford (FD)
DATE: 1972 July 27
DOC#: FD056
DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Newspaper Article - Brake Lining Dust Linked to Cancer
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2 4 -C -T H E DETROIT N EW S- Thursday, July 27, 1972
Asbestos blamed
Brake lining dust
linked to cancer
By JEAN PEARSON
checked to determine whether
N tw i SciM ct W rllir
'
the heat - changed, inhaled
Asbestos in autombile brake asbestos particles are as toxic
linings may be a potential as the inhalation of regular
cause of cancer, a Wayne asbestos particles..
.
State University' School of
Medicine research team fears. Dr. Andrew Reeves, chief of
the -research team, said yestteerrdafayy ._thtnaatt overexposure (to
The asbestos industry. Dr. Reeves ' said,' is concerned about the potential hazards and zs ``cooperating in a .very
way d n o T tiy m i^tf1
asbestos partields is known to-- coverup""------------t
-
be-the cause of a number of 0ne evidenee of theif coop-
flung diseases, i n c l u d i n g . .ration....he said*. j s S a u
to determine not only what
levels of b e r y l l i u m are
dangerous but how to immu
nize persons exposed to the
substance.
.
Working with guinea pigsi '
they are examining the possi
bility of immunizing against
berylliosis. .
"
"We have oof reaehed f h i '^ _
point where we tan apply o a r ~
findings to humans but that is our goal.:' be s a id ..
^ ^ j r ^ ^ ^ i ; 'V ^ ^ ^ j ^ - ? 3olm s4hniIle' suppfee* Him *`` TVs IttirfJrfj
n t w hat Is n t known, h o ^ s`aasb*e*stos &By, tih. torni"'*7 b r h is* ~n te era b J h a s ` been' oriented
said, is whether use of the experiments. .. -
. toward chronic studies, expoa-
brakes releases harmful parti-
d es into the ak u Mtui.
u r . Jledvm. an .associata W a 'ir- d a y *v*w , ^relastievve*ly^
1
fc v ^-professor .of cupaA m al and - l ^ p e n d d / ^ . .'
. Ife -
- ASBESTOS is used in oruce environmental health, is dotnf
-
linings, building materials research on a num`ber of` EACH MONTH, a selected
and. to some extent, in the potential- and known health -group of the exposed guinea
clothing industry. ' - '
problems related to asbestos pigs are dissected and micro
In addition to lung cancer, and beryllium which is used in biological and chemical stud-
overexposure to asbestos may a number of industrial pro _ies are made to determine the
lead to asbestosis, a degenera cesses. His studies are sup "effect of the beryllium dust.
tive type of lung disease, and possibly to mesothelioma, a
ported by a grant from the National Institute* of Health.
Dr. Reeves said asbestos is much more difficult to study
tum or of the lining of the Though his r e s e a r c h than beryllium because of the
chest cavity, or pleura. - -
animals are guinea pigs, Dr. difficulty in breaking asbestaa
: Dr. 'Reeves said the asbes . Reeves ' is especially' coo-, ' -u p m to p a rtid e sc a a lla n o u fk
JL -::
tos industry denies, on good e v i d e n c e , that asbestos
cerned about the levels of both ' to He blown inio diamber* for
asbestos and beryllium which inhalation by guinea pigs...
'
.-'The team had lo design add
hammer to-|>
IS?
y H
has taken another formi- ' ` N- ^ toherynium , he ealA . , .
"But the final word is not " In 0{iT research here at
known," Dr. Reeves said, Wayne," Dr. Reeves said, " we nnihiny th at j | not 1hm.iwh found that, after rats had been
yet what that form is a n d _ 5 xP?*e d ' to ,bfy.uiu . d>*y
whether i t ' p r e s e n t s any h a d 'a very high incidence of
hazard to humans
cancer.
Seeking "the final word," "But beryllium does not Dr. Reeves and bis research seem to cause cancer in team are planning an experi hum ans or in guinea pigs. l t is m ental system that will simu .. a ' toxic substance that
late the mechanical action of . ^ sp ears to be species tpe-
brakes, heat the asbestos to
1.S00 degrees Fahrenheit and Beryllium particles, how
,? tro d u c e 4 ,a p ^ S
It erodes slightly1as it is used.
Despite the researchers'
attempts to remove trace
metals, the "foreign parti
cles" - introduced may be
inhaled along with the asbes
tos particles;
'
Then, the researchers have
a difficult time trying to
ascertain whether the effects
upon the guines pigs of the
inhaled material should be
attributed to asbestos o r to the
trace metals.
Dr. Reeves serves on the sir
` ' ' t-d u st i nto cham bers ever, are associated with a -pollution evaluation commit
Jtffo&Hy guinea fugs, lung disease called berylliosi*. tee of the American Industrial r guinea pigs win then b^. Dr. Reeves' team is^trying Hygiene Association.
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